Desk



Dec. 27, 1938 J' R, JQNES 2,141,954

DESK

Filed March 11, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DESK Application March 11, 1938, Serial No. 195,371

15 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in pedestal desks of that well known type having drawer or compartment pedestals either at opposite ends of the .desk separated by a knee well or space, or a single pedestal at one side only of the knee well. Such desks have been made with four legs only, usually located at the four corners of the desk, and they have also been made with legs at either or both the front and rear inner corners of each pedestal, in addition to the four main or corner legs. Some purchasers will not buy the fourlegged type of desks, while others will not buy the other type, which, in a double pedestal desk would have either six or eight legs, and in a single pedestal desk would have either five or six legs, depending on whether the additional pedestal legs are provided at the front only or both at the front and back of the desk.

One object of this invention is to make it unnecessary for a manufacturer or dealer to carry in stock desks of like style in both the four-legged and the other type, by constructing pedestal desks so that a desk of the same style or design can be equipped either with four legs only, or with legs at the inner corners of the pedestal or pedestals, in addition to the four main or outer corner legs, as may be demanded; also to standardize the construction of desks of this type in such a way as to adapt a double pedestal desk of a given style or design to be equipped with either four, six or eight legs, and a single pedestal desk with either five or six legs, as may be desired, and to make this possible with the minimum of labor and expense; also to construct a pedestal desk so that the supplemental leg or legs can be quickly and easily applied to either or both the front and rear inner corners of each pedestal to convert a four-legged desk into a five, six or eight-legged desk, or convert any of the latter desks into a four-legged desk; also to provide desks in which the upright corners of the pedestals are of rounded or finished corner formation independently of the legs and adapted to be readily equipped with legs, either at the inner or outer corners only of the pedestals, or both at the inner and outer corners of the pedestals; and also to provide a pedestal desk having the other features of improvement and advantage hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevation of a double pedestal desk of one form, embodying my invention, showing the same equipped with four legs.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the desk equipped with eight legs.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the desk as shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, on different planes, showing the inner corner portion of one pedestal of the 5 desk with a removable leg attached at said corner.

Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are horizontal, sectional views on lines 5-5, 66, 'l'! and 8--8 respectively, Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the clip or device 10 for securing the upper end of the removable leg.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the inner side of the removable leg, detached.

Figs. 11 and 12 show, by front elevational views,

a desk having two different four-leg arrangements according to my invention.

Figs. 13 and 14 are respectively end and side elevations of the desk shown in Fig. 12.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1-10, the desk is made with a fiat top H and drawer pedestals l2 and i3 at its opposite ends separated by the usual knee well or space M, the pedestals preferably being constructed so as to form rounded, upright and horizontal bottom edges or corners l5 and i6 at the inner end of each pedestal and rounded, front and rear bottom edges or corners ll. Thus, all of the edges or corners of the pedestal which are exposed when the desk is equipped with only four main or corner legs, are of finished corner formation, and are preferably rounded instead of sharp or angular.

The desk, as shown in Fig. 1, is furnished with four legs I8, preferably at its four corners. These may be of any desired shape or design and constructed and secured to the desk in any usual or suitable way, but preferably the legs are provided with slightly rounded, upright edges and are arranged with the faces of the legs set out from the front, rear'and end faces or walls of the desks, 40 or so that the legs form upright shoulders in relief along the upright edges of the legs.

As shown, see Figs. 5-7, the upright, inner front corner of the pedestal is formed by a quarter-round corner wall [9, made. by bending around the front edge portion of the pedestal side wall, and the corner is reinforced internally by a vertical angle-shaped metal stiffener 2i! welded to the inbent front flange 2| of the corner wall, and having a side flange 22 welded to the ped- 6O estal side wall. The bottom inner corner of the pedestal is also reinforced and strengthened by a sheet metal corner or gusset plate 23 welded to the pedestal bottom plate, and having upbent flanges 24 and 25 welded respectively to the inner side wall of the pedestal and the metal strip forming the front bottom portion of the pedestal. Furthermore, the stiffener 29 has horizontally bent feet 2'! welded to the corner gusset plate. This construction produces a strong, rigid corner. The inner corner of the pedestal at the rear of the desk can be of similar construction.

Each of the supplemental or removable legs 58 for use at the inner corners of the pedestal is preferably constructed and secured to the pedestal as follows: As most clearly shown in Fig. 10, the lower portion of the leg which extends below the bottom of the pedestal, is of rectangular, tubular form, and for the remainder of its length, the inner upright corner portion of the leg tube is removed and the edges of the leg side walls along this portion are bent inwardly forming shoulders 36 at diagonally opposite corners of the leg, and flanges extending inwardly from the shoulders. The lower end edges 32 of the cut-away portion are curved to conform to and fit against the rounded surfaces of the inner bottom corner of the pedestal. The inbent leg flanges 3| are also preferably notched at 33 near their upper ends. The leg thus formed may be made from a sheet metal strip folded into tubular form with its overlapping, longitudinal edges welded together at 34, see Fig. 8. In the inner corner of the rectangular portion of the leg are fixed one or more attaching lugs 35 which project upwardly beyond the lower end of the cutaway portion of the leg to adapt them to enter holding slots or openings 36 in the bottom wall of the pedestal. Preferably there are two of these lugs formed by projecting portions of an angle plate welded in the corner of the leg.

The bottom wall of each inner corner of the pedestal is provided with the openings 36 disposed so as to receive the attaching lugs 35 of the leg l8, and at the upper end of each upright inner corner of the pedestal is secured a clip or device 31 adapted to removably engage the upper end of the leg for securing it in place on the pedestal. This clip 3'! preferably consists,

, see Fig. 9, of a plate which is curved to the form of the rounded corner of the pedestal and is detachably secured thereto, as by screw bolts 38 passing through registering holes in the clip and rounded corner of the pedestal, and fastened by nuts screwed on their inner ends. The clip, as shown, is provided with offset portions 39 at its opposite sides which form recesses between the same and the face of the pedestal corner, and these offset portions are also preferably formed with inbent beads 48 adapted to spring into and bear in the notches 33 in the flanges 3i of the leg.

When constructing the desk, it is made with the slots 36 in the bottom wall of each pedestal and the bolt holes in the upper end of the pedestal to receive the fastening bolts 38 for the clips 3?, and when the desk is to be used as a four-legged desk without pedestal legs at the inner corner or corners of the pedestal, these slots 35 in the bottom of the pedestal are not seen, and the bolt holes in the upper end of the pedestal are hidden from view by the flanged desk top. If it is desired that the desk have a supplemental leg at one or more of the inner corners of the pedestals, it is only necessary to bolt a clip 37 on the upper end of each such pedestal corner and then slip the leg vertically into place with the attaching lugs 35 projecting up through the slots 38 in the pedestal bottom and the upper ends of the flanges 3| of the leg engaging between the pedestal corner and offset portions 39 of the clip 31. By applying moderate pressure or force, the upper ends of the flanges 3i will pass the inbent beads or blisters 40 on the clip and the beads will snap into the flange notches 33 and thus securely and rigidly retain the leg in place while nevertheless permitting the removal of the leg, simply by the exertion of sufficient force to disengage the flange notches from the clip beads.

It will be understood that when desired, a supplemental or removable leg 18 can be applied to the inner, front corner of each pedestal, thus converting a four-legged desk into a six-legged desk, and, if desired, two additional legs can be similarly secured to the rear, inner corners of the pedestals to give an eight-legged desk. If the knee well between the desk pedestals is closed at the rear by a vertical back plate or wall 45, this plate can be removed to permit the application of the two inner, rear legs in the manner explained, and if a rear wall for the knee well is desired, another plate can be substituted in place of the plate between the rear, inner legs and secured in place in any suitable manner.

While my improvements are illustrated in the drawings in connection with a double-pedestal, convertible, four or eight-legged desk, it should be understood that the invention is equally adapted for equipping the desk with the inner pedestal legs only at the front of the desk, thus making a sixlegged desk, and also for equipping a single pedestal desk with a pedestal leg at the inner, front corner of the pedestal, or with both front and rear, inner pedestal legs.

Furthermore, Figs. 11 to 14 of the drawings illustrate still other desk leg arrangements made possible by my invention. Fig. 11, like Fig. 1, shows a desk with four legs at the four corners of the desk, but in this Fig. 11 embodiment, the front and rear outer corners 46 and 4'1 of each pedestal are preferably made of the same rounded or finished corner formation and preferably also of like construction as the inner corners I5 of the desk first above described.

The four legs 48 also may be constructed and secured in place at the pedestal corners as shown in Figs. 4 to 10 and as before described. Thus the legs may be removably applied to the pedestals at the four corners of the desk, as shown in Fig. 11, or at the inner corners of the two pedestals as shown in Figs. 12l3, in which latter case the desk will have no legs at its corners, but the pedestals will be supported by and overhang or project outwardly from the four supporting legs at their inner corners. As will be understood, the desk shown in Figs. 11-14 can also be equipped with additional legs 48 to provide either a six or an eight-legged desk.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination in a desk having a pedestal extending inwardly from an end of the desk, and legs which support the pedestal above the floor, of a leg removably secured at an inner upright corner of the pedestal, said pedestal being structurally complete with said upright corner finished without said leg and having attaching provisions for said leg which are hidden from View whether the leg is in place or is removed, thereby producing a finished desk either with or without a leg at the inner corner of the pedestal.

2. The combination in a desk having a pedestal extending inwardly from an end of the desk, and legs which support the pedestal above the floor, of a leg extending vertically along an inner upright corner of the pedestal and removably secured in place, said pedestal being constructed to make said corner thereof a finished corner formation without said removable leg, and having at its bottom and upper portions attaching provisions for said leg which are hidden from view whether the leg is in place or is removed, thereby producing a finished desk either with or without a leg at the innercorner of the pedestal.

3. The combination with a desk having legs at its four corners and having a pedestal which extends inwardly from an end of the desk and is supported above the floor by said legs, an inner leg removably secured at an inner upright corner of the pedestal, said pedestal being structurally complete with said upright corner finished without said inner leg and having attaching provisions for said inner leg which are'hidden from View whether the leg is in place or is removed, thereby producing a finished desk either with or without a leg at the inner corner of the pedestal,

4. The combination in a desk having supporting legs and having spaced pedestals at its opposite ends supported above the floor, of pedestal legs extending vertically along the inner upright front corners of the pedestals and removably secured in place, said pedestals being constructed to make said inner corners thereof finished corner formations without said pedestal legs, and said pedestals having at their bottom and upper portions attaching provisions for said pedestal legs which are hidden from View whether said pedestal legs are in place or are removed.

5. The combination in a desk having supporting legs and having spaced pedestals at its opposite ends supported above the floor, of pedestal legs extending vertically along the inner upright front and rear corners of the pedestals and removably secured in place, said pedestals being constructed to make said inner corners thereof finished corner formations without said pedestal legs, and said pedestals having at their bottom and upper portions attaching provisions for said pedestal legs which are hidden from view whether said pedestal legs are in place or are removed.

6. The combination in a desk having a pedestal extending inwardly from an end of the desk, and legs which support the pedestal above the floor, of a pedestal leg extending vertically along an inner upright corner of the pedestal and removably secured in place, said pedestal being constructed to make said corner thereof a finished corner formation without said pedestal leg, said upright pedestal corner entering a side opening in said pedestal leg, one or more fixed lugs on said leg entering one or more slots in the bottom of the pedestal, and a clip removably fastened on the upper portion of the pedestal and removably securing the upper end of the leg in place.

7. The combination in a desk having a pedestal extending inwardly from an end of the desk, and legs which support the pedestal above the floor, of a pedestal leg extending vertically along an inner upright corner of the pedestal and removably secured in place, said upright corner and bottom corners of the pedestal being of rounded formation, said upright pedestal corner entering a side opening in said pedestal leg, one or more fixed lugs on said leg entering one or more slots in the bottom of the pedestal, and a clip removably fastened on the upper portion of the pedestal and removably securing the upper end of the leg in place.

8. The combination in a desk having a pedestal extending inwardly from an end of the desk, and legs which support the pedestal above the floor, of a pedestal leg extending vertically along an inner upright corner of the pedestal and removably secured in place, said pedestal being constructed to make said corner thereof a finished corner formation without said pedestal leg, said upright pedestal corner entering a side opening in said pedestal leg, one or more fixed lugs on said leg entering one or more slots in the bottom of the pedestal, and a clip removably fastened on the upper portion of the pedestal by means held in a hole in the wall of the pedestal and removably securing the upper end of the leg in place, said hole being hidden from view under the desk top when said clip is removed.

9. The combination in a desk having a pedestal extending inwardly from an end of the desk, and legs which support the pedestal above the floor, of a pedestal leg extending vertically along an inner upright corner of the pedestal and removably secured in place, said pedestal being constructed to make said corner thereof a finished corner formation without said pedestal leg, said upright pedestal corner entering a side opening in said pedestal leg, one or more fixed lugs on said leg entering one or more slots in the bottom of the pedestal, and a clip removably fastened on the upper portion of the pedestal and removably securing the upper end of the leg between the clip and the corner wall of the pedestal.

10. The combination in a desk having a pedestal extending inwardly from an end of the desk, and legs which support the pedestal above the floor, of a pedestal leg extending vertically along an inner upright corner of the pedestal and removably secured in place, said pedestal being constructed to make said corner thereof a finished corner formation without said pedestal leg, said upright pedestal corner entering a side opening in said pedestal leg, one or more fixed lugs on said leg entering one or more slots in the bottom of the pedestal, and a clip removably fastened on the upper portion of the pedestal and removably securing the upper end of the leg between the clip and the corner wall of the pedestal, said clip having a snap frictional engagement with the leg.

11. The combination in a desk having a pedestal at one side of the knee well of the desk, and legs for supporting the pedestal above the floor including a leg removably secured at an upright inner corner of the pedestal, said pedestal being structurally complete with said upright corner finished without said leg and having attaching provisions for said leg which are hidden from view whether the leg is in place or is removed, thereby producing a finished desk either with or without a leg at the inner corner of the pedestal.

12. The combination in a desk having pedestals at its opposite ends spaced apart by a knee well and supported above the floor, said desk having pedestal legs extending vertically along inner upright corners of the pedestals and removably secured in place, said pedestals being constructed to make said inner corners thereof finished corner formations without said pedestal legs, and said pedestals having at said inner corners attaching provisions for said legs which provisions are hidden from view whether said legs are in place or are removed.

13. The combination in a desk having pedestals at its opposite ends spaced apart by a knee well, of legs extending vertically along and removably secured in place at the front and rear inner upright corners of each pedestal and supporting the pedestals above the floor, said pedestals being constructed to make said inner corners thereof finished corner formations without said legs, and said pedestals having at said corners thereof attaching provisions for said legs which are hidden from view when said legs are in place and also when the legs are removed.

14. The combination in a desk having pedestals separated. by a knee space, of legs extending vertically along and removably secured in place one at a front upright corner and one at a rear upright corner of each pedestal and supporting the pedestals above the floor, said pedestals having at each corner thereof similar attaching provisions for one of said legs which provisions are hidden from view when said leg is in place and when the leg is removed, and said pedestals being constructed to make their several upright corners of similar finished corner formation without said legs, whereby the desk can be provided with legs at either the inner or outer upright corners of the pedestals.

15. The combination in a desk having pedestals separated by a knee space, of legs extending vertically along and removably secured in place one at a front upright corner and one at a rear upright corner of each pedestal and supporting the pedestals above the floor, said pedestals having at each corner thereof similar attaching provisions for one of said legs which provisions are hidden from view when said leg is in place and when the leg is removed, and said pedestals being constructed with their several upright corners of similar transversely rounded finished formation without said legs, whereby the desk can be provided with legs at either the inner or outer upright corners of the pedestals.

JAMES R. JONES. 

